Yunxi is one of the branches of the Librairie Avant-Garde in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The aim is to tap into a large target market, given the propensity of many Japanese for a beer after work and the fact that the shop is close to a railway station. In the store, Uchinuma and its co-founder, Koichiro Shima, also sell bookshelves and furniture, including tables and chairs. In fact any piece of furniture you see in the shop is for sale.

Another way of increasing takings is to invite writers to give lectures and charge for admission.

In addition, the shop's owners sell food and English training, make television programs about books and publish their own books.

"But we don't want to run a bar, a furniture store or a space specifically for hosting events," Uchinuma says. "The shop is very small. To sell the best books we are trying to survive in other ways so we can help people find interesting books. They come to our store to read and drink beer."

Qian Xiaohua, founder of Librairie Avant-Garde in Nanjing, which also deserves to be called one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, says it is very important for a book to keep the spirit of a time.

"A bookstore is as equally important as clean air, sufficient sunshine and green plants for a city. The accumulation of knowledge drives the progress of human beings, and books are our best food.